A Consumer Reports survey shows people often think the word “natural” on their products means they are better than similar products, but that is not necessarily the case.

The survey found more than 85 percent of people believe the term should mean a packaged item was made from ingredients grown without pesticides, that it doesn’t include artificial ingredients and that it doesn’t contain genetically modified organisms.

But “natural” is a nearly meaningless word that doesn’t guarantee any of those things.

The survey said one-third of people confused “natural” with “organic,” a label that requires producers to meet hundreds of pages of standards and verification.

Consumer Reports recently announced it will file a petition with the Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture asking them to prohibit the use of the word “natural.”

Currently, the FDA won’t object to use of the term if the product has no artificial color.

The USDA says it means no unnatural ingredients have been used in meat, but it has nothing to do with how the animal was raised, what it ate or whether it was ever allowed to go outside.

Consumers need to be aware that what’s being called “greenwashing” goes on as food companies use terms such as “natural” to make their products sound wholesome.

Consumer Reports also points out that “free range” doesn’t mean an animal ever ranged freely, only that it had the opportunity to go outside. “No nitrates” and “made with” mean little either.

Many Americans want their food to be produced in an environmentally conscious and socially responsible manner.

The FDA and USDA should pay attention to the petition and set regulations for what can be labeled “natural.”

And until labels clearly offer that information, let the buyer beware.